Cotton feeder



jui?! 59 w37 C. M. MEHKEQ. 5TM l? COTTON FEEDER Filed Sepv 1964 5 Sheets-Sheec l C CU Ll.

Q) L. 3 m m LU sil July 18, w67 c. M. MERKEL. ETAL 3,33L37" COTTON FEEDER Filed 5910i 8, 1964 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES M. MERKEL JOSEPH E. SALMON ATTORN EY S Juy 18, i967 c. M. MERKEL ETAL 3,33137 COTTON FEEDER Filed Sept. 8, 1964 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. CHARLES NLMERKEL BY JOSEPH ESALMON AT TORNEYS 3,33l,l37 Patented July 18, 1967 3,331,137 COTTON FEEDER Charles M. Merkel, Montgomery, and Joseph E. Salmon, Prattville, Ala., assignors to Continental Gin Company, Prattville, Ala., a corporation of Alabama Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 395,002 16 Claims. (Cl. 34-10) This invention relates to cotton feeders and is more particularly concerned with a cotton gin feeder for, and method of facilitating the effective, eiiicient and uniform flow of cotton from a separator to a blow box.

Conventional cotton gin feeders feed cotton, as it is brought from the field, to a separator from which it passes through an upper air lock into a bin. The cotton is in the form of locks or wads of several locks and accumulates in the bin to be steadily supplied to a feed section where feed rolls deliver the cotton to a breaker roll for breaking up wads of densely packed seed cotton. From the breaker roll, the cotton is fed through a lower air lock into a blow box where it is entrained yby warm air to low relative humidity under pressure. The warm pressurized air delivers the cotton through a conduit to a gin, cleaning device, drying machine, or other accompanying equipment.

Among the many diiiiculties which have been encountered with such conventional feeders is damage to the air lock between the separator and bin by incoming wads of densely packed cotton. These wads tend to choke the rotor of the air lock, break down the resilient flights which provide the seal in the air lock, and frequently damage the metal rotor structure itself. The result is frequent replacement of air lock parts and loss of time in repairing, replacing, or unchoking the air lock.

Heretofore, it has generally been assumed that this easily and frequently damaged air lock between the separator and the bin was indispensable because, in combination with the lower air lock between the breaker roll and blow box, the upper air lock provided a zone within the bin of normal pressure in which the cotton was not subjected to either suction from the separator or pressure and warm air from the blow box. It had been assumed that in the absence of an air lock between the separator and the bin, an air leak through the lower air lock would cause an up-draftv through the bin toward the separator and prevent effective downward iiow of cotton to the feed section.

The present inventors have discovered that the easily and frequently damaged air lock between the separator and bin can be eliminated without preventing the efficient downward feeding of cotton through the bin to the feed section. This is accomplished by channeling air that leaks into the bin from the blow box upwardly past the descending cotton in the bin. This insures that there is no buildup of air pressure beneath the cotton in the bin to retard the downward motion of cotton in the bin. The channeling of air provides equalization of air pressure in the bin at the separator and at the feed section. It also aids the` feeding action of the cotton gin feeder by providing warm air which aids in drying the cotton prior to its passing through the feed rolls and the breaker roll.

In previous cotton gin feeders, any warm, dry air that escaped from the lower air lock impinged only upona mass of cotton at the lower end of the bin. This cotton is relatively dense because of the weight of cotton above it in the bin and it is diicult for the warm air to engage this cotton and dry it. However, when the warm, dry air is channeled to the space above the cotton in the bin, the air engages the incoming stream of cotton, which is in separate locks or wads and is easily engaged bythe air.

Since cotton passing from the bin into the blow box has been broken up by the breaker roll, damage to an air lock or air locks between the bin and blow box from wads of cotton does not occur. Consequently the loss of suction, the repair time and the replacement cost encountered with previous cotton gin feeders is avoided.

Thus, it is believed apparent that it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel method of and means for the feeding of cotton from a separator to a blow box from which the cotton can be delivered by pressurized air to appropriate associated gin equipment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cotton gin feeder in which a zone of low pressure or Vacuum is maintained between a separator and an air lock immediately above the blow box in order to facilitate the feeding of cotton.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character described in which the mechanism is simplified by the discarding of the upper air lock between the separator and bin, the upper air lock having proven a source of considerable trouble in operation of previous cotton gin feeders.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of and apparatus for using escaped air from an air lock or air locks that are located below the bin in the beneficial treatment of cotton in the bin. These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic drawing of a cotton feeding system;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through one embodiment of the present invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through that embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 and in a plane at right angles to the plane of FIG. 2.

A general understanding of the invention can be had by referring to FIG. l of the drawings. 'It will be seen that an induction tube 10 leads from a wagon or other supply of cotton to the cotton gin feeder M. A blower 13 provides the force to carry the cotton from the wagon to the feeder M, as will be described in more detail later.

The gin feeder M delivers the cotton into `a conduit C that is supplied with air under pressure from a blower 7. Air passes from the blower 7 and through a heater 3 to provide the warm air customarily used to deliver the cotton to a gin (not shown) or the like.

Though warm, dry air is normally used in such feeders, it may at times be desirable to use warm, moist air. If such be desired, a humidiiier 9 can be inserted in the conduit C to raise the humidity of the warm air passing through the conduit C.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the letter S has been utilized generally to'indicate a separator located as in common practice over a bin B. The bin B constitutes an intermediate passage between the separator Sand a feed section F, and provides a` chamber in which cotton accumulates to be fed by feed r-olls and past a breaker roll in the feed section F. From the breaker roll, the cotton passes through air locks A to the Vblow box BB, thence to the conduit C.

The separator S of that form of the invention here illustrated is of conventional form including the induction tube 10 leading to the separator casing 11, the casing 11 having the usual perforate rotary suction drum 12 mounted therein to be driven by the external pulley 14. Air is evacuated from the casing 1,1, at opposite ends of the drum 12, through the exhaust duct 16, to produce suction at the wall of the drum 12. The air is evacuated by .a blower 13, and the cotton is drawn in through the tube 10 by the resulting air iiow. The velocity of the cotton causes it to pass over the drum 12 and downwardly to the lower portion of the casing 11. In the lower portion of the casing 11 there is substantially no air flow. Thus, when the cotton moves to this portion of the casing 11, the cotton drops from the casing 1.1 downwardly into the bin B. Separator constructions of this general type are well known and con-` ventional in cotton gin feeders, and the present invention contemplates the use of various separators of this basic character. However, such separators commonly have a rotary air lock immediately below the separator S through which cotton passes as it drops downwardly into the bin B. No such air lock is included in that embodiment of the invention described herein.

The purpose of an air lock immediately below the separator S has been to prevent air flow through the bin B that would retard the downward flow of the cotton in the bin B. This air lock was required because one or more air locks A used between the bin B and the blow box BB will permit air to enter the lower end of the bin B and move upward through the cotton in the bin B. This is because the conventional air lock, such as air lock A, cornmonly employed in cotton gin feeders has a rotor 36 and longitudinally extending radial vanes 23` defining pockets for receiving and conveying cotton from one chamber to the next in individual increments. The rotor 36 is turned by a pulley 38 and it will be understood that the vanes 23 are mounted within a circular housing and are provided with resilient ights 27 at their outer edges which engage the housing so as to preclude the abrupt passage of air or transfer of pressure from one side of an air lock A to the other. While such air locks are considered to be substantially effective and eicient, it is nevertheless well known that there is a considerable leakage of or spillage of air and pressure transfer in their operation.

The usual air lock between the separator S and bin B is not included in that embodiment of the invention described herein because the invention provides other means for preventing that air ow from the blow box BB through the bin B that would retard the downward ow of cotton in the bin B. A tandem arrangement of two air locks A between the blow box BB and bin B is provided, and together they will restrict but not preclude air ow into the bin B from the blow box BB. In addition, means for channeling air within the bin B is provided.

As will be noted from the drawings, the bin B includes a vertical elongated chamber 20 communicating at its upper end with the bottom of the casing 11 of the separator S, and extending downwardly therefrom to include the usual transversely restricted throat 21 where the cotton accumulates. The cotton is delivered from the throat 21 by gravity into the feeding section F, and to opposed feed rolls 22, between which the cotton is fed downwardly when the feed rolls 22 are rotated by suitable pulleys, as indicated at Z4. From the feed rolls 22, the seed cotton is delivered to a centrally disposed breaker roll 25 which engages wads of density packed seed cotton to break down their compacted condition. As indicated in FIG. 2, the breaker roll 25 is rotated lby a pulley 26. The arrangement of the feed rolls 22 and breaker roll 25 within the feeding section F is a conventional arrangement of the usual cotton gin feeder.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that control switches are provided within the bin B to assure that there is cotton in the bin, but that the bin B is not over filled. The switch S1 is placed at the constriction of the bin adjacent the feed section F; and, when there is little cotton in the bin B, the switch S1 will be closed to start the blower 13 and separator S into operation.

A second switch S2 is placed toward the top of the bin B, at the maximum level at which the bin B should be filled. When cotton engages the switch S2, the switch will be opened to cut off the blower 13 and the separator S. Thus, there is automatic provision to keep the cotton in the bin B .at desired levels.

The invention provides ducts 30 on the inner face of each side of the chamber 20 of the bin B. The ducts 30 are open at their lower ends 31 which are adjacent the 4 ends of the feed rolls 22. From their lower ends 31,the ducts 30 extend upwardly to terminate in open upper ends 32 at a point within the chamber 20 of the bin B, just below the juncture of the bin B with the separator S. Above the upper ends 32 of the ducts30, `inclined shields 34 are provided. The shields 34 prevent seed cotton from entering the ducts 30 as the seed cotton falls into the bin B. For convenience, the ducts 30 are'illustrated as being formed by semi-circular members having their edges engaging the inner faces of the walls of the chamber 20 so that these walls form sides of the ducts 30.

When air escapes into the ylower end of the binB from the blow box BB, the ducts 30 serve to equalize pressure in the bin B above and below cotton in the bin B. This equalization of pressure aids in the free downward ow of cotton in the bin B; and it is to be notedtthat this improvement is provided by the ducts 30 `even if an air lock is used between the separator S and bin B.

The air in the blow box BB is generally warm and dry; and, when air escapes intothe `bin B from the blow box BB, it is this warm air which is channeled to the upper end of the bin B by the ducts` 30. This warm air is also in the lower end of the bin ABibefore it is channeled to the upper end of the bin B lbythe ducts 30. Thus, cot.

ton in the lower end of the bin B is exposed to warm air. However, since cotton in the lower end of the bin B is relatively densely packed because of the weight of cotton above it, the warm, dry air does not easily penetratethe cotton at the lower end of the bin B.

Since the separator S `and bin B Vare in direct or open communication with each other, the warm, dry air con ducted by the ducts 30` to the upper end of the bin B is drawn into the` separator S by the suction at the wall of the drum 12 and as this air moves toward the separator S, the air transverses the path of the cotton dropping into the bin B from the separator S. As a result, the cotton is exposed to warm, dry air before the locks and wads become relatively densely packed within the bin B.

This exposure of cotton to the warm, dry airconditions the cotton for easier breaking of wads by the breaker roll 25, and for generally easierfeeding `through the bin B; and, it will be understood that the ducts 30 provide for this conditioning of the cotton in a manner not possible in their absence.

It will now be seen that the ducts 30 permit the usual easily and frequently damaged air lock between `the bin B and separator S to be avoided even if only a single air lock A is used between the blow box BB and bin B. Moreover, they result in benefits from the usual inefficiency of air locks A between the blow box BB and the bin B.V

It is to be noted that protection is provided an air lock A or tandem of air locks against the rugged operating conditions which would damage an air lock between the separator S and the bin B by the efficient conditioning of cotton with dry, warm airas described above and by the conventional breaker roll 25 in the feed section F. From the air locks A `at the lower end of the bin B, cottonris delivered to the conventional blow box BB where pressurized, dry, warm air entrains the cotton for delivery by a conduit C to a cotton gin, dryer, cleaner, burring machine, or the like (not shown).

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the presentinvention provides apparatus for and a method of feeding cotton into a separator S and through a bin B while maintaining subatmospheric pressure in boththe separator S and the bin B. Moreover, the problems of maintenance and repair of an air lock between the separator S and bin B are eliminated while improving the ow of cotton through the bin B because of equalization of pressure in the bin B and the etiicient treating of the cotton with warm dry air.

It will, of course, be understood that the specific apparatus herein presented is by way of illustrationonly, and is meant to be in no way restrictive; therefore, numerous changes and modifications may be made and the full use of equivalents resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. A method of feeding cotton to an air stream comprising entraining loose cotton in a rst air stream of subatmospheric pressure,

removing the cotton from the iirst air stream and storing it in a bin of substantially the same pressure as said subatmospheric pressure,

feeding the cotton from the bin to a second air stream of a pressure higher than said subatmospheric pressure,

iiowing a controlled amount of air from the second air stream into the lower portion of the bin,

bypassing at least a portion of the air flowing from the second air stream to the bin around any cotton present in the central portion of said bin, and flowing the bypassed air into the first air stream.

2. In a cotton feeder having a separator, a bin for receiving cotton from said separator and with a feed mechanism therein, and a pressurized blow box for receiving cotton fed from said feed mechanism, the combination therewith of an air lock between said bin and said blow box, and of upwardly extending ducts within the bin for conducting air escaping from the blow box through the air lock into the bin past a portion of the cotton lwithin the bin without contact therewith, said ducts exending from adjacen said feed mechanism to a position adjacent said separator.

3. In a cotton feeder having a separator, a bin for receiving cotton from said separator and with a feed mechanism therein, and a blow box for receiving cotton fed from said feed mechanism and which is pressurized by warm dry air, the 4combination therewith of an air lock between the bin and blow box, ducts within the bin for conducting warm dry air escaping from the blow box through the air lock into the bin past a portion of the cotton within the bin without contact therewih, said ducs extending from adjacent said feed mechanism to a position adjacent said separator, and shields at one end of said ducts for precluding the entry of cotton into said ducts from said separator.

4. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, means for inducing subatmospheric pressure in said separator to supply cotton to said separator by suction, a bin placed in open communication with said separator for receiving cotton from said separator, means for maintaining said bin at a substantially uniform subat-mospheric pressure with said separator, a blow box subjected to air under pressure, an air lock between said bin and said blow box for feeding cotton from said bin to said blow box and for precluding an abrupt pressure equalization between said blow box and said bin, said air lock permitting air leakage from said blow box to said bin, and ducts within said bin for conducting air from said air lock toward the separator out of contact with a major portion of any cotton within said bin.

5. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, means for inducing subatmospheric pressure in said separator to supply cotton to said separator by suction, a bin placed in open communication with said separator for maintaining said bin -at substantially uniform subatmospheric pressure with said separator, said bin being placed to receive cotton from said separator, a blow box subjected to air under pressure, an air lock between said bin and said blow box for feeding cotton from said bin to said blow box and for precluding an abrupt pressure equalization between said blow box and said bin, said air lock serving to permit controlled air leakage from said blow box to said bin, and ducts within said bin for conducting air from said air lock out of contact with a major portion of lany cotton within said bin, said ducts being constructed and arranged to deliver said air through said bin to a point adjacent an area of communication between said bin and said separator.

6. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, means for inducing subatmospheric pressure in said separator to 'supply cotton to said separator by suction, a bin placed and said blow box for precluding an abrupt pressure equalization between said blow box and said bin, said air lock serving to permit controlled air leakage from said blow box to said bin, and ducts within said bin for conducting air from said air lock out of contact with a major portion of any cotton within said bin, said ducts being constructed and arranged to deliver said air to an area of communication between said bin and said separator whereby contact of said air with cotton entering said bin will condition the fibers of said cotton to facilitate the feeding thereof from the bin to the blow box.

7. A cotton feeder comprising a separator means for inducing subatmospheric pressure in said separator to supply cotton to said separtaor by suction, a bin placed in open communication with said separator for maintaining said bin at substantially uniform subatmospheric pressure with said separator, said bin being placed to receive cotton from said separator, a blow box subjected to air under pressure, an air lock between said bin and said blow box for delivering cotton from said bin to said blow box and for precluding an abrupt pressure equalization between said blow box and said bin, said air lock serving to permit controlled leakage of air from said blow box to said bin, and ducts within said bin for conducting said air from said Iair lock out of contact with a major portion of any cotton within said bin, said ducts being constructed and arranged to deliver said air to an area of communication between said bin and said separator whereby a pressure equalization will occur between said arer and an area in said bin adjacent said air lock.

8. A -cotton feeder comprising a separator casing, a rotatable perforate drum within said casing, means for evacuating air from said drum whereby a low pressure condition is established in said casing to draw cotton into said casing against said drum, means for rotating said drum whereby cotton drawn against said drum is removed from the path of travel of said air to said drum, a bin in open communication with said casing to receive and accumulate cotton from said casing, said bin being maintained at substantially the same low pressure condition as said casing, mechanical feed means in said bin for feeding cotton accumulated in said bin from said bin to an area of higher pressure than in said bin, means for passing a limited amount of air from said area of higher pressure to the lower portion of said bin, and means for bypassing 4air admitted to the lower portion of said bin around the cotton accumulated in the central portion of said bin to the upper portion of said bin.

9. In a cotton feeder, a separator including a perforate rotary drum, suction means for inducing a low pressure in said separator through said drum by which cotton is drawn into said separator, a bin in direct communication with said separator so that the pressure within said bin is maintained substantially equal to the pressure within said separator, feed means positioned in the lower portion of said bin, and rotary seal means positioned below said feed means for maintaining a low pressure in said bin, and means for ducting air in said bin from the lower portion thereof adjacent said feed means to a portion thereof adjacent said drum, around at least a portion of any cotton present in said bin.

10. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, means for inducing a ow of air through said separator by which cotton is entrained for delivery to said separator, means in said separator for removing cotton from said flow of air to permit said cotton to fall by gravity from said separator, a Ibin in direct communication with said separator so that the pressure within said bin adjacent said sep arator is substantially equal to the pressure within said separator, said bin being positioned to receive cotton falling by gravity from said separator, feeding means Ifor feeding cotton from said bin, and duct means for bypassing air from the portion f said bin adjacent said feeding means to the portion of said bin adjacent said separator, about at least a portion lof any cotton present in said bin.

11. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, means for inducing a ow of air through said separator by which cotton is entrained for delivery to said separator, means in said separator for removing cotton from said ow of air to permit said cotton to fall by gravity from said separator, `a bin in direct communication with said separator so that pressure within said bin adjacent said separator is substantially equal to the pressure within said separator, said bin being positioned to receive cotton Ifalling by gravity from said separator, pressure control means for feeding cotton from said bin, and conduit means defining openings at its ends for channeling air from a portion of said bin adjacent said pressure control means about at least a portion of any cotton present in said bin to a portion of said bin adjacent said separator.

12. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, a bin communicating with said separator to accumulate cotton rfrom said separator, a blow tbox communicating with said bin to receive cotton from said bin, and upwardly extending conduit means connected to said bin for channeling air in said bin from a portion thereof adjacent said blow box around at least a portion of any cotton accumulated in said bin to a portion of said bin adjacent said separator.

13. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, Ia bin positioned below said separator and communicating with said separator to accumulate cotton from said separator, a lblow box positioned below said bin, an air lock disposed between said bin and said blow box for feeding any cotton accumulated in said -bin from said bin to said blow !box, and upwardly extending passage means delining openings in communication with the lower portion and upper portion of said bin for channeling air escaping through said air lock into said bin past at least -a portion of any cotton accumulated in said bin to the upper portion of said bin.

14. A cotton feeder comprising a separator, suction means for inducing a low pressure in said separator by which cotton is drawn into said separator, a bin in direct communication with said separator so that pressure within said bin adjacent said separator is substantially equal to the pressure within said separator, said bin being positioned to receive cotton fromsaid separator, an air lockl for feeding cotton from said bin, and air ducts connected to said bin constructed and arranged to equalize the pressure in the portion of said fbin adjacent said air lock with the pressure in the portion of said .bin adjacent said` lock between said bin and said blow box and of at least one upwardly extending duct within said bin defining 'a rst opening positioned in a portion of said bin adjacent said blow Ibox and a second opening positioned in a por.

tion of said 'bin adjacent said separator.

16. In a cotton feeder, a Vseparator casing, perforate drum within said casing, means for evacuatiug air from said drum whereby a low pressure condition is established in said casing to draw cotton into said casing against said drum, means forrotating said drum whereby cotton drawn against said drum is removed from the path of travel of air to said drum, la bin in open communication with said casing constructed and `arranged to receive and accumulate cotton from said casing, said bin being maintained at substantially `the same `low pressure condition as said casing, and means for equalizing airpressures in the binon the side of at least a portion of any accumulated cotton adjacent said separator casing and on the side of at least a portion of any accumulated cotton remote from said separator casing.

References; Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,624 3/ 1959 Moss 19-205 X 760,494 5/ 1904 Sory 302-28 884,157 4/ 1908 Hollingsworth 302-28 X` 2,657,474 11/1953 Bledsoe 19-.27 X` 2,883,709 4/1959 Deems et al 34-168 X FREDERICK L. MATTESON, IR., Primary Examiner. i D. A. TAMBURRO, Assistant Examiner.

a rotatable 

1. A METHOD OF FEEDING COTTON TO AN AIR STREAM COMPRISING ENTRAINING LOOSE COTTON IN A FIRST AIR STREAM OF SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, REMOVING THE COTTON FROM THE FIRST AIR STREAM AND STORING IT IN A BIN OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PRESSURE AS SAID SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, FEEDING THE COTTON FROM THE BIN TO A SECOND AIR STREAM OF A PRESSURE HIGHER THAN SAID SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, FLOWING A CONTROLLED AMOUNT OF AIR FROM THE SECOND AIR STREAM INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE BIN, BYPASSING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE AIR FLOWING FROM THE SECOND AIR STREAM TO THE BIN AROUND ANY COTTON PRESENT IN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID BIN, AND FLOWING THE BYPASSED AIR INTO THE FIRST AIR STREAM. 